Traveler s trunk or sample-case



(Nn Model.)

F. J. PALICA. TRAVBLERS TRUNK 0R SAMPLE CASE.

ANo. 531,640. 'Patented Jan. 1 1895.-

Ntra-D j STATES PATENT Brien.

'TRAVELERS TRUNK on SAM PLE-CASE.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 531,640, dated January`1, 1 895.

i Application filed March 26,1894. Serial No. 505,124. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LFRANK J. PALICA, of Racine, in the county of 'Racineand State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Travelers Trunks and Sample-Cases; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of thisspecication.

This inventipn relates to improvements in that class of travelers trunksand sample cases in which the upper transverse yedges of the trunk bodyform protecting guards for the hinged cover which ts into the opentop'of the body, and in which the central portion of the front wall ofthe trunk is cut down, and

the front of the cover is formed to enter and fill such cut-away portionwhen the trunk is closed; the class of trunks referred to beingrepresented in Letters Patent No. 425,247, granted to me April 8, 1890.

The object of my present improvement is principally to provide a strongsupport for the depending front portion of the cover, and, generally, toadapt the trunk as a whole to better resist the shocks incident to itshandling in use. A y

To these ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafter setforth, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

`In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a trunkembodying my invention, showing the cover raised. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation thereof. Fig. 3'is a front elevation of the cover removed.Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional detail, taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 1,but with the cover closed. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing thearrangement of the cleats on the top of the trunk.

A designates the body of the trunk which is shown as being ofrectangular shape, with front, rear and end walls, (1,00 and a2,rigidly.

secured to each other and to a suitable bottom a3. As hereina shown, theupper and lower end, or transverse edges, A of the trunk body arebeveled off and provided with protecting cleats a4, while suitablemetallic` or other binding strips a5, secured to the frontand rear wallsof the trunk body and attached to or extending over the beveled ends andinward toward the center of lsaid walls, serve to bind the parts firmlytogether.

B designates the cover which is hinged to the rear bodywall a', and isprovided on its inner face adjacent to its rear and end edges with rigidcleatsb and b dependingincontact with or in close proximity to the innerface of the rear and end walls ofthe trunk body when the cover isclosed. Preferably, and as herein shown, the cover B extends beyond thesaid cleats b and b so as to overlap and rest upon the tops of theadjacent walls of the trunk body, and when, as in this instance, theupper ends of the trunk are beveled and provided with cleats a4, theupper portions of the end walls d2 of the trunk may be reinforced orthiclgened by. cleats a6 secured to the inner surface of said walls withtheir upper edges Hush with the tops thereof. In this case the ends ofthe cover will rest, when closed, upon said cleats a6 and will beprotected by the upper edges of the protecting strips ,c1/4 which`project above the top of the body a distance equal to the thickness ofthe cover.

The upper edge of the front Wall a of the trunk is out down or hollowedout at its middle portion and slopes upward at each end to the normallevel of the top of the. body, as shown in Fig. 1. Such cut-away portionis filled when the cover is closed by a Vertical, depending part b2secured to the front edge of the cover B, with its outer face flush withthe outer face of the front body wall a.y 'Said part b2, in my improvedconstruction, is made much thicker than the wall a and its front facerabbeted at each end on an incline lto fit the hollow top of the bodyfront a, leaving theportions biat its ends to depend behind, anddesirably in close proximity to, the inner face of the wall mand thusform connection between the part b2 and the parts b by which the saidpart b2 is firmly supported, and making a complete and rigid box fittingwithin the open top of the trunk, and engaging or proximating the insidesurfaces of all four of its walls, so as to brace the same and be itselfsupported in every direction. Said box may,if desired, be provided witha cover on its under side, and may thus be used as a separate receptacleto contain any articles adapted to be contained therein; The front facesof the ends b3 of the cleats b2 are in- IOO clined inwardly anddownwardly so as to avoid striking the top of the wall a, as the coverswings into and out of its closed position, and in this instance, theend cleats b are also shown inclined inwardly and downwardly on theirouter faces so as lo prevent their binding unnecessarily.

The joint between the Wall aand the depending front part b2 of the coverwhen closed is concealed by the usual Valance b4. The cover may bestrengthened in any suitable manner, as by longitudinal cleats b5 andtransverse cleats ZJ, the latter being placed at the end of the cover,and overlapping the protecting strips a4 of the body of the trunk. Theends of the Valances b4 are in this instance shown carried over andsecured to the upper sides of the cleats b to bind the same in place,but, obviously, if desired, they may be-run beneath said cleats andengage directly the upper surface of the cover.

Although the cover Bis in this instance shown as adapted to overlap andrest upon the top of the rear wall a', it will be obvious that, ifdesired,said rear Wall maybe extended upward a distance equal to thethickness of the cover, and the latter so hinged as to lit Within saidwall when closed, with its upper face flush with the top thereof.

Trunks and sample cases constructed in accordance with my invention, ashereinbefore set forth, being provided with rigid edges A', and with acover if which lits Within and braces the top of the body of the trunkin every direction, are admirably adapted to sustain the severe shocksto which structures of this character are subjected in handling, and maybe readily made of large size and capacity, while at the same timeeasily accessible, by reason of the cut-away upper edge of the frontwall.

Trunks made in accordance with these improvements are particularly Welladapted for use by traveling salesmen as sample cases, since theypossess great strength and durability and are of relatively largecapacity.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In a travelers trunk or sample case thecombination with a body of which the top of 5o the front wall is cutdown at its middle portion, of a hinged cover provided at its frontclose proximity to the rear face of the said wall of the body when thecover is closed, and

braces supporting the said depending part of the cover, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a traveler-s trunk or sample case the combination with a bodyportion, the top of the front wall of which is cut away at its middle,of a hinged coverprovided on itsunderside with a rigid depending box,the rear and endl sides of which depend in close proximity to the rearand end Walls of the trunk, and the front side of which is made ofgreater thickness than the front wall of the body and has its front facerabbeted at its ends to fit the edge of the front wall, leaving theremaining port-ion of its ends to depend behind said wall, whereby thewalls and cover'are braced in every direction, substantially asdescribed.

In a travelcrs trunk or sample case the combination with a body the topof the front wall of which is cutaway at its middle part, and the endwalls of which are thickened at their tops of a cover adapted to overlapand rest upon said end walls when closed, protecting cleats rigidlysecured along the upper end edges of the trunk and projecting above thetop ot' the walls in close proximity to the ends of the cover whenclosed, and a rigid box secured to the under side of the cover, the rearand end sides of which depend in close proximity tothe rear and endwalls of the trunk, the front side of which is made of double thicknessand has its front face rabbeted at its ends to lit the hollowed top ofthe front wall of the trunk, leaving the rear portion of its ends todepend in close proximity to the inside front wall, whereby the wallsand cover are braced and supported from every direction, substantiallyas described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I ailx mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. PALICA. Witnesses: g

ANDREW DIETRICH, WILL 1T. CARPENTER.

